Study of Psalm 119. Psalm 119:8

This continues the study of Psalm 119.  (Start the series here: http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2017/09/study-of-psalm-119-psalm-1191.html)

God Provides (by Rhonda Sawtelle)
Psalm 119: God's Word....
vs. 7, 8: Provides Results

I will keep Your statutes; oh, do not forsake me utterly! Psalm 119:8

Will Keep: observe, celebrate, of other obligations
Statutes: something prescribed or owed
Forsake: leave destitute
Not: never, no, nor
(Very) utterly: up to abundance, to a great degree, exceedingly; as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space, or time (during, while, until) or degree

O forsake me not utterly - Hebrew, “To very much;” so as to leave me to myself. His confidence that he would keep the commandments of God was based on the prayer that God would not leave him. There is no other ground of persuasion that we shall be able to keep the commandments of God than that which rests on the belief and the hope that He will not leave us. (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible)

Since God will not forsake or leave, then we with all confidence should continue to observe His Word.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

God keeps His promises. He is faithful. He will not forsake us. That does not mean that we won't have difficulties, or heartache. Rather that God will continue to love us through those times. No matter what happens, God is still God. 

Because God is God, He is not only trustworthy, but He is faithful. Therefore, I will continue to observe and fulfill any obligations honoring God Almighty and remaining faithful to Him. 

God will not forsake me – for one day I will enjoy Him in all His glory in Heaven for all eternity! And that is a gift He gives to all, paid for by the sacrifice of His own Son. (John 3)

Proverbs 3:3, 4: Do Not Abandon—In Plain View

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3, 4

Mercy: kindness (especially as extended to the lowly, needy and miserable)

Truth: faithfulness, reliableness

Forsake: leave, abandon

Bind: conspire, join together

tablet of your heart: tablet of the memory

Find: attain to thing sought

Favor: acceptance

High esteem: insight, understanding

Sight: in the view, opinion of

God: Yahweh is God in truth

Man: mankind

Forget. Abandon. Leave. Forsake. We all forget things. Many of us have gone to the grocery store for a particular item, and leave with a grocery cart full of stuff, only to get home and realize that we forgot that one item we wanted. 

How do we NOT forget, we write it down. Shopping lists, right? 

God knows that we will forget His mercy and truth, therefore He tells us... bind it, conspire then around your neck, like a necklace, write them on your memory. Keep them handy at ALL times. 

Why to we need to keep mercy and truth handy? So that our lives would be first and foremost acceptable to God, and then fellow man can see God through us. 

Each morning when we get dressed, we need to make sure we bind, put on mercy and truth. We need to make sure that we have written God's truth and mercy upon our hearts so that they are in plain view of everyone who sees us. 

What do people see when they look at me? Do they see God's mercy and truth? Or do they see a person who is self-centered, hateful, prideful...... the list continues. 

Even more importantly, than what do people see, what does God see? He not only sees my actions, but also the motive behind the actions. Am I living out His mercy and truth? Am I allowing His mercy and truth permeate my heart so that my motives and actions are in accordance with His will? 

In sight, in plain view—God and people will see. The question is WHAT are they seeing?  Only when my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), will I want to know God's mercy and truth and display them for everyone to see. Do not abandon mercy and truth — for your life is in plain view!

Proverbs 2:13-15: Deliverance

From those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths; Proverbs 2:13-15

These verses are a continuation of what Wisdom will DELIVER us. 

Leave: forsake, fail to follow, obey advice, instruction, wisdom, reproof

Paths: mode of living, or of character

Uprightness: straightness, evenness, of paths (with moral implication)

Walk: mode of life, action

Darkness: evil, sin

Rejoice:  joyful, showing joy

Doing: absolute act, act with effect

Evil: distress, misery, injury, calamity

Delight: rejoice

Perversity: fraud

Wicked: deeds of evil

Ways: destructive ways

Crooked: twisted, perverted

Devious: craftiness, cunning

Paths: course of action, or life

As I was studying the meaning of these verses, I thought, "Why would anyone follow deception and wickedness? Why would on choose a path of destruction? Can't they see the end result?" 

Yet, often when we find ourselves following after those who forsake wisdom, we are caught up in the enticement of the present enjoyment of sin. We don't realize that as we continue to follow the way of life that we are forsaking God and moving farther from the treasure of His wisdom. For Satan knows how to slowing and deliberately change our paths so that we become accustomed to the sin and rationalize and justify it in our minds. And we don't see the need for deliverance, as we think we are "just fine". 

However, Wisdom shouts and will DELIVER us from making beginning down the path of sin, and will allow us to turn around if we find ourselves on that path. Wisdom, that treasure from God Himself, is vital to our everyday life. And Wisdom knows that we do need deliverance! 

It will require a determined heart — a heart that is permeate with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG) to listen to Wisdom and be delivered from the deception of sin.